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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Graan Abbey nursing home: Inspectors severely criticise care standards | Graan Abbey nursing home: Inspectors severely criticise care standards |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland's health regulators have severely criticised a nursing home after the quality of care fell below minimum standards. | Northern Ireland's health regulators have severely criticised a nursing home after the quality of care fell below minimum standards. |
| The Graan Abbey nursing home in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, provides care to more than 80 elderly people. | The Graan Abbey nursing home in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, provides care to more than 80 elderly people. |
| The inspection was triggered by a whistleblower who raised concerns over several issues including the respect and dignity of elderly patients. | The inspection was triggered by a whistleblower who raised concerns over several issues including the respect and dignity of elderly patients. |
| The nursing home has now been served with an enforcement notice. | The nursing home has now been served with an enforcement notice. |
| Safety breaches | Safety breaches |
| An announced inspection was carried out by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), after it was contacted by the whistleblower in April. | |
| RQIA inspectors found a number of breaches to health and safety regulations when they visited the nursing home. | RQIA inspectors found a number of breaches to health and safety regulations when they visited the nursing home. |
| They also discovered some patients dressed in day clothes but still in bed by mid-morning, as staff did not have time to move them to the day room. | They also discovered some patients dressed in day clothes but still in bed by mid-morning, as staff did not have time to move them to the day room. |
| Inspectors were also concerned about some unattended medication; cold food including porridge being served; out-of date care records and insufficient staff training. | |
| Follow-up inspection | Follow-up inspection |
| Despite the owner being advised to address these issues urgently - when inspectors returned in June, the nursing home had not complied with the recommendations. | |
| The home has now been served with an official warning. This is the first stage in a series which could potentially lead to a home's closure. | |
| While many homes receive warnings, this one is significant as the regulators acted swiftly after being contacted by a whistleblower. | While many homes receive warnings, this one is significant as the regulators acted swiftly after being contacted by a whistleblower. |
| In a statement, the owner of Carewell Homes, Tom McCaffrey, said the business had been established since 1990, and since then "had complied with all nursing home and residential home regulations". | In a statement, the owner of Carewell Homes, Tom McCaffrey, said the business had been established since 1990, and since then "had complied with all nursing home and residential home regulations". |
| "Just last week, Graan Abbey Nursing Home was issued a failure to comply notice," he said. | "Just last week, Graan Abbey Nursing Home was issued a failure to comply notice," he said. |
| "We cannot comment further on this as we have 30 days to make representation to RQIA. | "We cannot comment further on this as we have 30 days to make representation to RQIA. |
| "We are continuing to provide the highest standard of care to our clients and in accordance to their assessed needs and wishes, at Graan Abbey, Millcroft and Millverne." | "We are continuing to provide the highest standard of care to our clients and in accordance to their assessed needs and wishes, at Graan Abbey, Millcroft and Millverne." |
| Aidan Hanna of Patients First, an organisation which campaigns for openness in the health service and gives support to whistleblowers, said he was positive that the RQIA had acted on the concerns raised. | Aidan Hanna of Patients First, an organisation which campaigns for openness in the health service and gives support to whistleblowers, said he was positive that the RQIA had acted on the concerns raised. |
| "The issues that the whistleblower raised were found by the inspector when they went into the home, so the RQIA have acted swiftly," Mr Hanna said. | "The issues that the whistleblower raised were found by the inspector when they went into the home, so the RQIA have acted swiftly," Mr Hanna said. |
| He added that the complaints process was becoming easier. | He added that the complaints process was becoming easier. |
| "Hopefully things are changing with families, patients and staff speaking out if they are unhappy with their care." | "Hopefully things are changing with families, patients and staff speaking out if they are unhappy with their care." |